The Immutable Reality of our Mortality

April 3, 2017

April 3, 2017

Today in History
On this day in 1528 – In Cologne, German reformer Adolf Clarenbach, 28, was arrested for teaching Protestant (some say Anabaptist or Waldensian) doctrines. The following year, Clarenbach was burned at the stake for his faith.

Today in the Word
1 Corinthians 15:45 NLTThe Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam — that is, Christ — is a life-giving Spirit.

Today’s ReflectionDeath, the immutable reality of our physical mortality, is an enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). The hard reality is that death, and the decay of everything good and precious to us in this world, hold our world captive. They have since the sad rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Adam brought this captivity to us, and we have compounded it by our own rebellions, big and small. This decay, and our dance with it, spreads the vile smell of death to our relationships, our physical lives, and our dreams. But Christ Jesus, who is God’s Messiah, faced death and triumphed. His bodily resurrection began the sure hope of our own escape from our world of decay. His Spirit is now alive in us. The Spirit is our guarantee of ultimate victory over sin, death, and decay. Death no longer holds us captive. The antidote courses through us just as surely as our blood does. God’s life-giving Christ is alive in us through the Spirit, and we are assured we will stand with him, redeemed and whole, alive and victorious.

Today’s PrayerFather, my heart feels the weight of rebellion and the death, decay, and despair that poison my world. Please make me always aware of the antidote, the Spirit that was given me by Jesus Christ. Please show your life through my choices, my actions, my thoughts, and my attitudes. O come, Holy Spirit, and bring life in me and through me. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen